Marlins Close Homestand With Series Win Over Washington

MIAMI — The Miami Marlins closed out their 10-game homestand on a high note, defeating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Sunday to win the weekend series at loanDepot park. The Marlins end their 10-game homestand with a 4-6 record. 

Christopher Morel drove in his first run of the season for the Marlins in the eighth inning, scoring Esteury Ruiz on a single to put the Fightin’ Fish ahead 3-2. 

Ruiz came in as a pinch runner and stole third base before scoring on Morel’s base hit. Miami got the next two runs on a single by Heriberto Hernandez, who led the Marlins at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance. 

Sandy Alcantara returned to his formidable self. The Marlins ace lasted six innings allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. 

James Wood led off the game with a double to left field. He was later tagged out in a rundown between third base and home plate. Alcantara escaped the first inning with a ground out and a strikeout. 

The Marlins scored two runs in the third inning to establish an early lead. Joe Mack led off the rally with a walk and eventually scored on back-to-back singles by Xavier Edwards and Liam Hicks. Edwards then scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 2-0. 

The Nationals struck back in the fourth inning and cut the Marlins’ lead in half. Luis Garcia Jr. led off the inning with a triple and scored on a ground ball by Brady House to make it a 2-1 game. The Nationals tied the game 2-2 in the fifth inning. Jorbit Vivas led off with a base hit and later scored on an RBI double by Garcia Jr. Both Garcia Jr, and Lile led the Nationals with two hits a piece.

Alcantara had one strikeout in the first inning and didn’t punch out another batter until he got two swinging in the sixth inning. Calvin Faucher earned the win with two hitless innings of relief. Josh Ekness, who made his MLB debut at the beginning of the homestand, earned his first career save after getting the final out.

Game 2: Marlins 8, Nationals 7

The Marlins hit three home runs to power past the Nationals 8-7 on Saturday at loanDepot Park.

Stowers went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double to lead the Marlins at the plate. He is batting .304 (7-for-23) in his last seven games.

James Wood opened the game with a lead-off home run to give the Nationals an early lead. Luis Garcia singled and Brady House doubled to set up a two-run single by CJ Abrams, putting Washington up 3-0 in the first inning. Abrams struck again with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to extend Washington’s lead to 4-0. Abrams went 2-for-5 to raise his batting average to .295 on the season.

The Marlins bats came alive in the fourth inning. Otto Lopez led off the rally with a single, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. He scored on a Stowers’ first home run of the season to cut the Nationals’ lead in half, 4-2.

Connor Norby reached base on a throwing error by Abrams in the sixth inning. He stole second base and later swiped third after Jakob Marsee drew a walk. Norby scored on a sacrifice fly ball by Owen Caissie to make it a 4-3 game.

Edwards’ fourth home run of the season tied the game in the seventh inning. The Marlins’ second baseman has homered in two consecutive games, both off left-handed pitching.

The Marlins took the lead in the eighth inning after a big four-run rally. Stowers led off the inning with a single and Norby drew a walk to set up a three-run home run by Jakob Marsee. Esteury Ruiz came into the game as a pinch-hitter and produced a double. He stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Leo Jiménez to put Miami up 8-4.

Game 1: Nationals 3, Marlins 2

Jacob Young hit a two-run home run in the first inning to lead the Nationals to a 3-2 win over the Marlins on Friday at loanDepot park.

The Marlins (17-22) have dropped to 2-6 during their current 10-game homestand. Miami has started all three series with a loss, four straight series going back to the Marlins’ last series win at Los Angeles at the end of April.

Marlins pitching prospect Robby Snelling lasted five innings in his Major League debut. All three of his earned runs allowed, and both of his strikeouts, came in the first inning.

The Nationals provided some quick adversity for the 22-year-old with two outs. CJ Abrams hit an RBI single to score Curtis Mead, who reached on a double. Abrams scored on Young’s homer to give Washington an early 3-0 lead.

The Marlins struck back in the bottom of the first with a leadoff home run by Xavier Edwards, his third of the season. Otto Lopez extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double. He scored on a throwing error to put the Marlins within a run at 3-2.

Three of the Marlins’ five hits came from Lopez, who went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored.